1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a ball-picking device, more particularly to an easy-to-operate ball-picking device for picking up a ball, such as a golf ball, on a ground surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional ball-picking device 8 for picking up a ball 83 on a ground surface is shown to include a cup 82 which confines a ball receiving space 821, and which has an annular peripheral edge defining an opening 822 of a diameter greater than the diameter of the ball 83. A handle 81 is connected to the cup 82 to facilitate operation of the same for picking up the balls 83 on the ground surface.
It is noted that adequate skill is required to operate the aforesaid conventional ball-picking device 8 since precise aiming of the ball 83 relative to the opening 822 is needed. Moreover, the operation of the ball-picking device 8 when picking up the ball 83 is laborious because a relatively large force is required to press the cup 82 against the ball 83 such that the latter can extend into the ball receiving space 821. Furthermore, the ball receiving space 821 cannot contain a large number of the balls 83, thereby increasing the burden of the ball pick-up operation.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a ball-picking device that is capable of overcoming the aforementioned problems.
According to the present invention, a ball-picking device for picking up a ball on a ground surface includes a basket frame unit and a handle member. The basket frame unit confines a ball receiving space, and has a ground contacting side formed with a plurality of ball-extension gaps that are in spatial communication with the ball receiving space. Each of the ball-extension gaps is confined by a pair of deformable rod units. Each of the ball-extension gaps is slightly narrower than a diameter of the ball such that when the ground contacting side of the basket frame unit is moved toward the ground surface to register the ball with one of the ball-extension gaps, the deformable rod units that define said one of the ball-extension gaps will be pushed apart and will be deformed by the ball so as to enlarge the respective one of the ball-extension gaps and so as to permit extension of the ball into the ball receiving space. The handle member is connected to the basket frame unit.